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Yunnan on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau is contiguous to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in the northwest. It is high in the northwest and low in the southeast with very great difference in altitude between the two parts. Topographically, it is divided into the eastern and western sections, l) The Eastern Yunnan Plateau east of the line frown the Yuanjiang and Lishe rivers to Xiaguan, Jianchuan and Lijiang is part of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, its landform being similar to that of Guizhou. In this limestone plateau, karst topography is present over wide areas with spectacular pinnacles, caverns and subterranean streams, the best-known being the "Stone Forest" at Lunan. The numerous intermontane basins are ideal for farming. Yuanmou was the home of the Yuanmou Man who lived 1.7 million years ago and whose fossils were found in recent years. 2) The Western Yunnan Valleyland, part of the Hengduan range, consists of many intermontane valleys ranged vertically from north to south, and, from west to east, of the Gaoligong, Nushan and Yunling ranges. Rising 1,000-5,000 meters above sea level, the area with its precipitous terrain has narrow plains. With its complicated geological structure, Yunnan is frequently visited by earthquakes. Among its many hot springs, those in Tengchong are the best-known.
The Jinsha River, the upper section of the Yangtze River, and the Nanpan River, the upper section of the Zhujiang River, are the largest rivers in Yunnan that flow within Chinese borders. The main rivers in western Yunnan that flow out of China are the Lancang, Nujiang and Yuanjiang. The sections of these rivers in China contain dangerous rapids and shoals. Yunnan has many fault lakes, the largest being Dianchi and Erhai, both freshwater lakes. The province ranks third in China in hydroelectric power resources.
(china.org.cn)
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